Afstan: US keeping troops, planning to up aid, asking NATO for more

1) "Pentagon says 3,200 soldiers face extended tour in Afghanistan"

2) "U.S. preparing new offensive in Afghanistan"

After the bloodiest year in Afghanistan since the U.S. invasion, the Bush administration is preparing a series of new military, economic and political initiatives aimed partly at pre-empting an expected offensive this spring by Taliban insurgents, according to senior U.S. officials.

Even as it trumpeted a change of course in Iraq this month, the White House has also completed a review of U.S. policy in Afghanistan. It will ask Congress for $7 billion to $8 billion in new funds for security, reconstruction and other projects in Afghanistan as part of the upcoming budget package, officials said...

3) "U.S. to urge allies to boost Afghan support"

The United States will urge European allies to match it in injecting more development funds into Afghanistan at high-level talks set for Friday [at NATO, Brussels], a senior U.S. official said...